Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Wholesalers urged to boost engagement and sales with digital tools

Wholesalers urged to boost engagement and sales with digital tools

As customers seek cost-cutting initiatives, wholesalers should support using digital efficiencies to meet these demands, a new report has suggested.

The UK Wholesale Online Report 2023, by market researcher Lumina Intelligence, provides wholesalers and suppliers with key insights to plan their e-commerce strategy for the year ahead.


The report also urges wholesalers to consider implementing open banking, a powerful tool for cutting costs for businesses and customers, as more frequent ordering has driven a decline in basket spend.

The report suggests that B2B WhatsApp API technology can help wholesalers deliver a more tailored service, boosting engagement and sales, adding that engaging with customers at the right time will be crucial for influencing impulsivity and purchase decisions.

Noting how Sugro and Bestway are exploring how WhatsApp can drive engagement for members, the report said digitalising information for customers via WhatsApp will be a key opportunity for cutting costs and boosting sustainability.

Wholesalers are also urged to collaborate with suppliers to optimise taxonomy and search functionality for customers, therefore improving experience. Bestway is best in class, as over one in three customers noted that their preferred method of receiving category advice is via websites/desktop, the report says.

For suppliers, online order frequency is up, highlighting an opportunity to communicate through the online channel. Suppliers should ensure that communications regarding promotions are easily accessible across digital channels, the report suggested as they have greater opportunities to disrupt web and mobile browsing than in-depot browsing. Push notifications and personalised ads can disrupt the shopper’s journey and boost engagement.

Suppliers also urged to open communications with customers on where they expect to find items. Almost 25 per cent of searches are refined as customers amend to achieve better results, and search terms including ‘vegan’ have soared in 2022. Digital spend should be in the right ratio to print spend for success in informing customers of categories, with websites being operators’ preferential way of finding out about categories.

More for you

Two Liverpool shops fined for illegal vape sales
Photo: iStock

Two Liverpool shops fined for illegal vape sales

Two business owners have been slapped with fines after being found selling vapes to children at shops in Liverpool. Sanctions have been handed down to two men who appeared before Liverpool and Knowsley Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Zahur Chaudhary, of Challoner Grove, was hit with a £250 fine after he was found to have sold a watermelon flavoured Elf Bar vape pen to a person under 18 at AF Newsagents on July 11. Chaudhary was also hit with costs of £250 and a £120 victim surcharge by magistrates.

Keep ReadingShow less
Police officers in Trafalgar Square, London

Police officers in Trafalgar Square, London

Photo: iStock

New Respect Orders to target repeat perpetrators of anti-social behaviour

The government on Friday announced that they will introduce new Respect Orders as part of the Crime and Policing Bill.

The measure, a modernised version of the anti-social behaviour orders that were introduced by the last Labour Government, is aimed at the most serious offenders who plague town centres and neighbourhoods with anti-social behaviour.

Keep ReadingShow less
Exclusive: 'Faulty' pre-Horizon Post Office system led to hundreds of prosecutions

Exclusive: 'Faulty' pre-Horizon Post Office system led to hundreds of prosecutions

Ecco+, another pre-Horizon IT system that was introduced to post masters between 1992 and 1999, was also likely to be faulty due to which hundreds of sub postmasters were prosecuted by the Post Office, a leading sub postmaster representative has said.

Speaking to Asian Trader today (22), Calum Greenhow – Chief Executive Officer at National Federation of Sub Postmasters (NFSP) stated that Ecco+ system that was introduced between 1992 and 1999 also created problems for sub post masters.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bestway Foundation UK donates £100,000 to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Bestway Foundation UK donates £100,000 to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Lord Zameer Choudrey CBE SI Pk, Chief Executive of Bestway Group, and Dawood Pervez, Managing Director of Bestway Wholesale, presented a cheque for £100,000 to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) at Bestway Group’s Head Office in Park Royal, London last week.

This significant contribution reflects Bestway's ongoing commitment to supporting impactful charitable initiatives that make a difference to the lives of young people across the UK. The presentation was attended by Ruth Marvel OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Laura Puddefoot-Knaggs, Head of Philanthropy and Clare Harris, Senior Relationships Manager from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and Bestway Board of Directors, including Sir Anwar Pervez OBE H Pk, Chairman Bestway Group.

Keep ReadingShow less
GroceryAid: supporting grocery colleagues over the festive season

GroceryAid: supporting grocery colleagues over the festive season

As we head into the busiest time of the year for the grocery industry, GroceryAid is urging people to reach out to them if they find themselves struggling.

The charity helps grocery workers and their families through difficult times and offers a range of financial, emotional and practical support. This includes support for people facing stress, anxiety, low mood or loneliness, as well as debt advice and impartial financial support through GroceryAid’s online financial hub.

Keep ReadingShow less